Guest Column

U.S. Air Traffic Control Isn’t Working; Here's How to Fix it

By STEVE FORBES

September 6, 2017 at 5:30 PM

By STEVE FORBES

September 6, 2017 at 5:30 PM

For over 30 years the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has tried – and failed –to modernize America’s woefully dysfunctional air traffic control system (ATC). It is time to get ATC out from under the thumbs of federal bureaucrats and partisan politicians, and create a completely new structure that will get U.S. air traffic moving.

American ATC is stuck in the 1950s. Unbelievably enough, in the age of computers, U.S. air traffic controllers still hand each other little slips of paper to track aircraft locations. Pilots are forced to fly from one radar point to another (a 70-year old technology), instead of following the most direct routes from A to B. Our air space is so congested it takes 20% longer to fly to most places today than it did 20 years ago.

The solution to this problem, a commonsense fix that has been on the table for years, is to divorce ATC functions from FAA’s mission of ensuring air safety. This would rescue reform efforts from stifling FAA bureaucracy, federal procurement and personnel rules, and partisan politics. A private/public partnership – not a for-profit privatization – would enable us to move to a more workable system, similar to those that have been doing an exemplary job of controlling air traffic flows in more than 50 other countries for years. Including our good neighbor Canada.

Canada created an independent, nonprofit ATC user cooperative, NAV CANADA, in 1996. It has been extremely successful, not only in moving air passengers and cargo, but also in reducing costs for consumers. Over the last 20 years, fees have decreased 30%, with surplus revenues invested back into new technologies. Comparative Canadian airline flights of similar distances can be provided with ATC services for a little more than half of what we spend in the U.S.

A modern, “next gen” ATC system utilizing satellite technology, advanced software, and text and data tools would reduce U.S. travel times, flight delays, and cancellations. It would even decrease the excess carbon emissions created by airplanes flying longer than necessary routes. Funded by reasonable user fees that ensure everyone pays their fair share, a reinvented ATC system would save taxpayers and flyers billions of dollars.

A proposal to remake the FAA, the 21st Century AIRR Act, has been introduced in Congress. Everyone from consumer advocates to airlines to ATC union members are on board with this plan, which has drawn support from both Republicans and Democrats. They all understand that the status quo is unfixable and needs to be replaced with an entirely new system based on the tools at our disposal today, not those that were high-tech at the end of World War II.

David Grizzle, a former chief operating officer of the FAA, said: “The FAA suffers from an unstable procurement system and an unpredictable federal funding structure that hampers the agency from improving technology incrementally so it’s always up to date, which also undermines the FAA's ability to train and maintain a qualified workforce. We should make the changes necessary to preserve America's leadership in global aviation. This can only happen with systemic ATC reform."

That needed reform has to come from outside the FAA. The FAA has been “working” on ATC modernization since 1981, so far spending some $56 billion on a task that was supposed to cost $12 billion and take 10 years to complete. They’ve had their chance. Congress and the Trump administration need to embrace a new strategy that will get the government out of air traffic control and usher in a new era in U.S. aviation.

Steve Forbes is Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media.

The opinions expressed herein are the writer's alone, and do not reflect the opinions of TAPinto.net or anyone who works for TAPinto.net. TAPinto.net is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the writer. Click here to submit a Guest Column.

OCEANPORT - If it weren't for recently-adopted sports betting, one could assume Monmouth Park could easily go bankrupt and become the home to the latest sprawling condo complex, with plenty of space for Phase I, Phase II and even Phase III. The Asbury Park Press reports the non-profit that owns Monmouth Park owes $30 million to a management company who runs the racetrack. It appears the company ...

OCEANPORT - If it weren't for recently-adopted sports betting, one could assume Monmouth Park could ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- In an effort to address and fight bullying inside and outside of schools, the Bloomfield Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the Bloomfield Municipal Alliance Committee to screen two educational short films August 22nd at 7:00pm in the Children’s Library of the Bloomfield Public Library on 90 Broad St. Doors open at 6:30. The two short films, ‘Alone with ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- In an effort to address and fight bullying inside and outside of schools, the ...

Newark boasts a large – and growing – tech force. Brainwalk, an occasional series, will introduce you to some of its rising stars.

Standing near his office on the tenth floor of the glass skyscraper housing Panasonic’s North American headquarters in Newark, Tyrell Cotten is distant -- about 6,500 miles -- from Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan, where he once served as part of U.S. forces.

The Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with Friends of Passaic County Parks, Inc. will be hosting the annual county fair from Thursday, Aug. 16 to Sunday, Aug. 19 at Garret Mountain Reservation.

The County Fair will be open from 6 to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 3 to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Festivities will include ...

The Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with Friends of Passaic County Parks, ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ- Discussing the findings of recent lead testing in some resident homes was the subject of a Special Public Meeting hosted by Mayor Michael J. Venezia and the Township Council tonight (Monday, August 13) in the Media Center at Bloomfield Middle School.

GLADSTONE, N.J. — Competition at Monmouth at the Team begins Monday, Aug. 13 with pony classes, equitation competition and breeding classes. The show is being held at Hamilton Farm, headquarters of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, and runs through Aug. 20.

Action gets underway 7 a.m. each day.

Eastern Hay is the sponsor of Monmouth at the Team’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, the ...

WAYNE, NJ - Join in for the grand opening of Macy’s Backstage at Willowbrook Mall in Wayne on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m.

Be one of the first 200 customers to arrive and you’ll receive a "Scratch, Win, Smile" scratch-off card. During the event, be sure to shop to the tunes of a live DJ. Snap a photo at the selfie-station and post your photo using #macysbackstage to score a prize. In ...

WAYNE, NJ - Join in for the grand opening of Macy’s Backstage at Willowbrook Mall in Wayne on ...

The summer gardening season is in full swing and gardeners have been harvesting their bounty - lettuces, tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers and herbs. Insect activity is also gearing up in the garden. As the growing degree days increase, so does the damaging effects of pests in the garden. Here are a few ways to protect one of the most popular herb in the garden - BASIL. It's loved by children and ...

The summer gardening season is in full swing and gardeners have been harvesting their bounty - ...

NEWARK, NJ - Juan Garcia, 17, shouted orders to a gym full of freshman boys at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School. He wanted the younger students to yell back phrases like, “The Class of ‘22 will be different.”

“You have to be here for each other, am I clear?” Garcia said through a microphone. The boys yelled back in unison, “Yes, Mr. Garcia.”

“I can’t hear you,” Garcia shouted back before ...

NEWARK, NJ - Juan Garcia, 17, shouted orders to a gym full of freshman boys at St. Benedict’s ...